'This Week' Transcript: Russian President Vladimir Putin

January 19, 2014

Democratic Strategist James Carville, Republican Strategist Mary Matalin, The Wall Street Journal Columnist Peggy Noonan, The New Yorker Editor David Remnick, and Television and Radio Host Tavis Smiley on 'This Week'

STEPHANOPOULOS: If gay and lesbian athletes engage in some sort of protest, would they be free from prosecution?

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STEPHANOPOULOS: This morning, Vladimir Putin only on This Week.

Then, President Obama reveals his NSA reforms.

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ANNOUNCER: From ABC News, This Week with George Stephanopoulos starts now.

Hello again, I'm just back from that interview with President Putin at the sight of the Sochi Olympics. And we begin with breaking news on the biggest challenge of those games, the threat of a terrorist attack. Our chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross is here with the latest. And Brian, what you have seen overnight is this video from those responsible, they say, for the bombings in Russia just last month.

BRIAN ROSS, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: That's right, George. This new video, a so-called martyrdom video, purports to show the two men who carried out suicide attacks in the town of Volgograd in late December against a train station there and also against a computer trolley. They say they have more in store. They called a surprise package coming to Sochi and specifically mentioned targeting tourists who will be going to the Olympic games.

STEPHANOPOULOS: President Putin vowed to me and our journalists he's going to do whatever it takes. And they're also putting out the Russian security services overnight a video saying they disrupted an operation.

ROSS: That's right. This new video illustrates sort of the tough iron fist approach that President Putin has taken, a kind of take no prisoners approach. In this video, they say they attacked a stronghold of militants and killed seven of them.

Security is very much on edge there as you know, George, and in Volgograd tomorrow is today the Olympic torch relay goes through that city.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And meanwhile, what is the U.S, what is U.S. intelligence picking up about possible threats to the Olympics?

ROSS: Well, they're obviously very concerned. They're hearing the same things. And their own intelligence sources indicate this group has the means and the intention to attack either in Sochi or outside of Sochi, somewhere else in Russia, all with the goal of embarrassing President Putin.

The U.S. is working on a top secret plan to provide for the evacuation from Sochi of any U.S. athlete or VIP who is there if there is an attack.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And the U.S. ski team actually have their own evacuation teams.

You know, President Putin said on Friday, this is all under control. The U.S., sometimes, is getting a little frustrated because they actually want to give more help.